Kien Giang Province will focus on improving exports by increasing product quality, and holding more promotion and networking events for Vietnamese firms, according to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

Within the first six months of the year, provincial exports totalled US$269 million, which was more than 51 per cent of the year’s target and 45 per cent higher than the same period last year.

Agricultural products alone accounted for $117 million, while seafood totalled $81.5 million.

The biggest export earners were rice and frozen and processed seafood.

Rice, which is exported to 11 countries and territories, saw a 34 per cent increase in output and 51.6 per cent increase in value compared to the same period last year.

Several Kien Giang businesses said they would export canned seafood to the US, and pineapples and fish sauce to South Korea.

The province said that it would also focus on improving the quality of exports and help firms build more sources of high-quality raw materials.

The province is developing brackish-water shrimp farming under international standards for exports, in addition to increasing the farming area for high-value rice.

Kien Giang targets reaching an annual $1 billion of export value by 2020. – VNS